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Hall savours success in the sulky

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Tim Hall was celebrating double success at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday. Not only did he train Berani to win the O’Connor Warren Mobile Pace (2200m), but he drove the gelding too, breaking a seven-year drought in the sulky. “I haven’t really driven much over the last couple of years, but I thought it would be a good idea this time in to sit behind a few of them,” Hall said. “He went good and was travelling the whole way. I had to hold him around that...

Cambridge double for local trainer

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Local trainer Mike Berger had the perfect result at Cambridge Raceway on Friday night, posting two wins from two runners. “It was a good night, we will take it,” Berger said. Juvenile pacer Cos I Can opened Berger’s account when breaking maiden ranks in the Thames Harness Racing Club At Cambridge Mobile Pace (2200m). The son of Always B Miki was taken back early from the mobile by stable junior driver Luke Whittaker before he pounced on the back of Mr Won...

Class clown a winner at Cambridge

BY BARRY LICHTER There’s quite a tale behind how class clown Yogi, aka Del Shannon, found the winner’s circle at Cambridge on Sunday. For a time it looked like Yogi’s playful antics would prevent Pete and Di McDermott and a group of their Cambridge friends from ever seeing him run on the racetrack. You see, Yogi didn’t confine his daytime activities to his own paddock, regularly escaping by getting under hot wires. Once he even took on numerous gates and absconded with his paddock mate T...

Blameitonthenight to the fore at Cambridge

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Regally-bred colt Blameitonthenight kept his undefeated record intact at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night when taking out the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Heat 2 Mobile Pace (1700m). The two-year-old colt had won on debut back in May at Alexandra Park and was first-up after a couple of workout placings at Pukekohe, including a third behind race rivals Major Perry and Montana DJ. From his outside draw in the six-horse field, driver Peter Ferguson elected to...

Cambridge Raceway launch trans-Cook travel subsidy

Cambridge Raceway have launched a new travel subsidy in the hopes of bolstering their fields over the summer period. From today Waikato-based trainers can apply for the subsidy which covers the return travel on TFS Horse Transport of up to two horses per trainer from the South Island to the Waikato region to race at Cambridge Raceway from late November to early February. Horses accepted to receive the subsidy by Waikato-BOP Harness Incorporated will also be eligible for a special $1,000 bonus fo...

Classy line-up for Hamilton barn

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Hamilton trainers Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson will once again have a strong line-up at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday, headed by Classy Operator in the Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Heat 2 Mobile Pace (1700m). The son of Bettor’s Delight has drawn well in three, inside of his main dangers, the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained Montana DJ (4) and Major Perry (5). Classy Operator finished second behind Montana DJ in the Gr.1 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stak...

Cambridge victory for Island-hopping Harrison

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk It’s been a busy week for Waikato reinswoman Alicia Harrison and she was rewarded with a win in the feature race at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night. Harrison had been down in Christchurch for most of the week overseeing her employer Arna Donnelly’s trio of southern raiders – Kango, Taipo, and New York Minute – who are vying for spots in the Gr.1 New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) in November. “I went down with them on Saturday and arrived late on Su...

Cambridge treble for Hamilton barn

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Winning trebles at Cambridge Raceway are starting to become a common occurrence for trainers Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson. The Hamilton horsemen once again recorded a trio of wins at the Waikato track on Thursday night courtesy of I’llavabubbles, She Reigns, and Classy Operator. All three runners were fresh-up and Ferguson said the stable was expecting a good night at the office. “It was a good night and to be honest it was expected. We did have some ...

Australian targets beckon promising trotter

VIDEO REPLAY: High on Love winning at the Cambridge Raceway on September 16....

Gelding continues golden run at Cambridge

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Steven Reid’s former top-class pacer Gold Ace hasn’t made the impact he would have liked at stud, but that could change courtesy of promising three-year-old Dressed In Gold. Bred and raced by Reid, the gelding extended his unbeaten record to two at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night when winning the Betavet Prepare Mobile Pace (2200m). Dressed in Gold was launched off the gate by driver Peter Ferguson to secure an early lead where he was able to set the pa...

Call Me Trouble returns to The Raceway

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Leading northern reinsman Zachary Butcher is chomping at the bit to get back in the sulky at after more than a month away from the track as a result of Auckland’s COVID-19 enforced lockdown and will get the opportunity at Alexandra Park on Friday night. While he admitted it was nice to watch the first couple of meetings at Cambridge from the comfort of his couch, that experience has soon worn thin. “I cannot wait (to get back driving), it has been pretty bo...

Williams answers northern call

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Tim Williams may have only been with Stonewall Stud for a matter of weeks, but he is being well utilised by the dual-Island operation. The Canterbury reinsman has recently joined the burgeoning operation’s South Island team and he said he is enjoying his new role. “I started not long ago and it has been great. I am getting plenty of drives which is awesome,” he said. “It’s (Stonewall Stud) getting bigger and bigger so you couldn’t wish to be in a be...

Neal trotter set for Cambridge debut

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Andrew Neal has had a bit of luck with trotters he has selected from the yearling sales, and he is hoping that will continue at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday. The local horseman has had success with previous sale buys including Group Two performer Credit Master and eight-win trotter Lucky Fortune, and $10,000 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sale purchase Winners Time will also don Neal’s light blue, gold and black chequered sash silks. Neal’s original colours, mo...

Butcher joins select club

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Waikato horseman David Butcher brought up a special milestone at Cambridge Raceway’s meeting on Thursday, reining home a treble, culminating in his 2500th driving win. Butcher began the night in good form, winning behind the Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained Riverman Sam in the Chanelle Lawson Photography Mobile Pace (2200m), before reining home Hooray Henry, whom he also trains, to victory in the Blue Do Tickets On Sale Now Mobile Pace (2200m). “All the...

Treble for locked down trainers

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk South Auckland trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan may be under lockdown but they were able to enjoy watching their stable runners record a treble at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night from the comfort of their living rooms. While their famous silver and blue colours were expected to feature prominently on the night, they enjoyed securing the treble nonetheless. “It was a good night, a few of them went some good races,” Phelan said. Doctor Steve put on ...

Bublitz enjoying the ride

REPLAY: Victor Bravo placing third at The Cambridge Raceway on September 3....

Girls Are Best rewards patience

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Girls Are Best rewarded her connections for their patience with her maiden win at Cambridge Raceway on Friday night. While the Brian and Gareth Hughes-trained filly placed as a late two-year-old last year, she was given a year off to develop and her connections are now reaping the rewards. She resumed last month with a third placing at Alexandra Park and was subsequently sent out a $2.10 favourite in the Ike Unsworth Mobile Pace (2200m) at Cambridge on Friday. ...

Ferguson chalks up first training win

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Waikato horseman Dylan Ferguson recorded his first win as a trainer at Cambridge Raceway on Friday but it wasn’t until later on that he realised his achievement. Ferguson has been working for dual code trainer Graeme Rogerson for the last few years as his stable foreman and was taken into partnership at the start of the season. The newly formed partnership had just one runner prior to the COVID-19 enforced lockdown, but were quick to get on the board when har...

Clevedon trainers unfazed by border restrictions

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan won’t be able to be trackside at Cambridge Raceway’s meeting on Friday night, but the Clevedon trainers have been in this position before. New Zealand, with the exception of Auckland and Northland, have eased to COVID-19 Alert Level 3, allowing for racing to resume below the Auckland-Waikato border. With Auckland and Northland still under Alert Level 4 restrictions, trainers and drivers in those regions cannot attend meetings, ...

Frampton delighted with first win

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Winning your first race is always a memorable occasion and Cambridge trainer Rodney Frampton is no exception. Frampton recorded his first win as a trainer at his home track of Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night courtesy of Sky Delight in the Quiz night @ The Clubhouse Every Wednesday Mobile Pace (2200m). The daughter of Bettor’s Delight settled well for driver David Butcher, who bided his time at the rear of the field before finding the one-one with 500m to ...

Broodmare paddock beckoning Emmber

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk The broodmare paddock is beckoning regally-bred mare Emmber but trainer Matthew White is hoping to get a few more wins out of her before then. The daughter of Bettor’s Delight and multiple Group One winner Lauraella has won four races to date and will endeavour to add to that tally in the Chanelle Lawson Photography Mobile Pace (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on Wednesday. She has placed in her last two starts and White believes she is capable of winning on Wedn...

Ferguson and Rogerson enter training partnership

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for Dylan Ferguson. From the high of winning the Waikato Horse of The Year with She Reigns for employer Graeme Rogerson, to the low of watching his partner Jo Stevens recuperate in hospital after a riding incident, Ferguson has experienced a flurry of emotions of late. But he ended the season in pleasing fashion, winning behind stable representative Meetmeinsorrento at Alexandra Park on Friday night, recording Rogerson’...

HRNZ make Handicapping changes

Harness Racing New Zealand has approved a number of changes to the Ratings Handicapping System.Some of the changes, approved by the HRNZ Board, will come into effect immediately, others will be introduced from January 1 2022.The biggest change is that when a horse assessed as a maiden wins its first race, its rating will move from MR to R for the level it was on. For example; MR50 will move to R50, MR46 to R46. Effectively the horse will start in the Ratings system at its current level.“This i...

Cambridge win a tonic for Stevens

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Itsthefinalcountdown’s win at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night couldn’t have come at a better time for part-owner and trainer Jo Stevens after the fortnight that she has had. The Cambridge horsewoman fell from her showjumper a fortnight ago and has since been in hospital, undergoing surgery on her face and also being monitored after suffering a serious head injury in the fall. Stevens can’t recall anything of the incident but is thankful that it wasn�...

The Missing Sock in search of winning pair

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk The Missing Sock will be looking to pair together a couple of wins when she lines-up in the Gavelhouse.com Entries Due Wednesday Mobile Pace (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday. The three-year-old filly recorded her maiden victory over 2200m at Alexandra Park last week and trainers Steven Reid and Simon McMullan believe she can double up at Cambridge. “Her manners have come good and she got the win, but they didn’t go much time,” McMullan said. ...